Driving in 2wd with hubs locked

I had an 80 series with part time 4wd and it was advised to engage your hubs occasionally without selecting 4wd to keep your hubs lubricated. It doesn't cause any damage and it makes it a lot easier to change into 4wd. Just don't forget to unlock them on the black top drive home.

Hi SteveW
Yes you can select 4h on the move up to about 60klm an hour with the
hubs engauged,you must stop to engauge 4l ,4h can be disengauged
on the move,if you do not mind a little extra wear,&fuel consumption
you never kneed to disengauge the hubs
Friar

hi stevew, yeah you are goona be ok driving with your hubs locked in. i would be driving on the road with them locked but (you might already know that!). you will use a little more fuel though thats for sure....i suppose if your not wearing anything out then your not using your 4b mate.....just keep it maintained and you should be fine!!

All it means is that your front Diff will be being pused around by the front wheels, meaning a minute ammount of extra wear on the front tyres, a little on your front diff (because it's actually being used instead of just sitting there) and therefore slightly lower fuel consumption, probally less than if you had another person in the car. Don't worry about it!

I have read the other replay & normally i would agree but i believe this 4 runner has a Lokka diff lock in the front as opposed to a normal open front diff & when it is driving the front wheels would be turning the front diff centre causing the diff centre pin to push the dog clutches outward causing the front diff to be in a locked state when driving strait ahead (the pin would be pushed in the opposite direction to normal as the wheels are driving the diff instead of the diff driving the wheels)

I am not confident that the diff would unlock under all conditions when turning & this may cause steering problems ??????? particually as it has a rear lokka fitted as well

I would speak to a lokka diff lock supplier & get there advise on this matter

Regards Don

Guys there is another factor in not having your hubs locked in for a few months and not engaging four wheel drive.

I have had universal joint grease dry out through not being used and warmed. When then happens is your uni joints quickly wear out. Maintenance is utilization too to make sure those bits are used on a reasonably frequent basis, just like your aircon systems. To stop the seals drying out there of courseRegards

JohnR - Not enough of the right travelling, some here..... some over there.......

Driving with the hubs locked will not make any difference with or without lokkas.The extra fuel consumption will be negilible and not noticable unless it was done under scientifically monitored conditions.Of course over a year or so it would add up in dollar terms.
What a lot of people forget is that pre-1980s there were no free wheeling hubs fitted to any vehicle that I know of except as an aftermarket option until the car companies got on the bandwagon.

Has anyone ever done a fuel comparison on the difference between having your hubs turned in or not. I can't tell the difference with mine, so I reckon the fuel consumption variance must be SO small that it is almost immeasurable.

I have noticed that there is NO difference in turning lock when the hubs are in, as against being out. The only time I notice a difference in turning circle is when hubs are in and vehicle is in 4WD.

As for tyres wearing out coz the hubs are in, never heard of that one before. Tyres biggest wear factor is turning unless there is an alignment problem. One U turn eqauls about 16k's of straight road driving. Tyres will wear out over distance and hard driving over harse ground, but with good rotation practices, careful monitoring of tyre pressures and appropriate tyre selection you will normally get good mileage from tyres regardless of whether the hubs are in or out.

Gday Steve,
Wow mate the fuel economy aint real flash, is that a diesel or petrol mate?

Strewth Steve thats one thirsty little motor mate.
All the best
Snow